Daily Archives: June 17, 2015

According to a recent Pew Research Center poll, 69 percent of U.S. adults consider global warming a “very serious” or a “somewhat serious” problem. So what do the other 31 percent think is happening out there?

According to the Pew Research, Democrats are the believers—Republicans are the naysayers.

The Pew data also revealed that Democratic men were less interested in fighting climate change than Democratic women.

Why is it that most of the non-believers are Republican leaning, men, whites, evangelicals, and people over 50? What do they know that the other 69 percent don’t?

Why don’t more Americans care about climate change? There is significant research out there pointing to worldwide chaos, rising sea levels and the possible end of civilization, yet many refuse to believe.

And why does it always come down to Republicans vs. Democrats?

Democrats have tried to pass climate bills—which caused many Republican-leaning voters to become even more hostile to any new climate policies.

Let’s be honest about this: As long as the Republicans control Congress, do not expect any significant legislation to address the issue. Bottom line: The majority of Republicans in Congress deny the existence of manmade climate change and oppose regulations to cut greenhouse gas emissions. It seems to me that congressional members pass more blame than bills these days.

A new report by the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which took 300 scientists several years to put together, alarmingly outlines the “severe, pervasive and irreversible” impact of increased global warming. And according to them, 100 percent of the global warming over the past 60 years is manmade or human-caused.

The report further states that increased ocean acidity will likely decimate coral reefs and leave endemic species vulnerable to extinction. As temperatures continue to rise, animals and plants will be increasingly forced inland toward more mountainous terrain and will tend to migrate toward the poles. Crop yields of corn, rice and wheat will fall by 25% by 2050, with the trend predicted to worsen thereafter. The drop off in fish catches will be even more precipitous with projections suggesting a 50% reduction in Antarctic and Tropical waters. The IPCC also cited that the hottest year on record was 2014.

Changes in temperature, precipitation, sea level, and the frequency and severity of extreme events will likely affect how much energy is produced, delivered, and consumed in the United States. And increases in temperature will likely change how much energy we consume, as well as our ability to produce electricity and deliver it reliably.

Climate change may well be the world’s biggest news story, and no one seems to care. I hope someone decides to care before our planet gets baked to a crisp.